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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Flavia100 profile image
25 Replies

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy Is recommended by Chris Woolams In his 10 ways to cope better with chemotherapy. I had never heard of this before but I just took a look at it and find it to be interesting to say the least. I have so many side effects on the Ibrance , 100 mg. And would just love to feel better. Has anyone had therapy or are you familiar with it?

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Flavia100 profile image
Flavia100
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blms profile image
blms

I know of it but did nit know ut was used fir chemotherapy. Where are you located?

Flavia100 profile image
Flavia100 in reply to blms

Well not entirely sure about that. I am in the US, fyi

blms profile image
blms in reply to Flavia100

I am also, which state and where r U treated

Hopefulwmbc profile image
Hopefulwmbc

I had hyperbaric oxygen treatment for a concussion. It helped!

I had 21 hyperbaric oxygen treatments in 2012 for incisions that wouldn't heal & the scar tissue that formed from 6 total surgeries -- every time an expander or implant was put in or taken out of my left breast because of constant infections after my 2009 mastectomy/reconstruction. Hyperbaric oxygen was pumped into a kind of deep-sea helmet & space suit I wore for several hours each treatment. Excellent for wound healing, I don't know about Ibrance side effects although I had them too when I was on it 2017-2020.

USIrishcolleen profile image
USIrishcolleen in reply to cancerjustgotreal

cancerjustgot real,

Your forum name was exactly how I felt when I learned that I had cancer. I am so sorry to hear about your horrible time on Ibrance. Fortunately for me, I NEVER had a single side effect from 125 mg of Ibrance in combination with anastrozole. I never felt sick, and still do not. I am grateful, and empathize with those who have suffered with their treatments.

Now Verzenio? WHOLE different story! I had to buy disposable underwear because my first week on Verzenio, I had a “blow out” in my bed when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Since starting Verzenio with the sameAI, anastrozole, I have learn to recognize when it was time to RUN, not walk to the restroom.

Be well! Sorry for getting a bit crude there!

Colleen

cancerjustgotreal profile image
cancerjustgotreal in reply to USIrishcolleen

Colleen & 13Plus,

Actually, I didn’t have thattt bad of a time w/ Ibrance 100 mg, just the nausea. Not every day, usually 3-4 days in a row about 3 days after starting on a new 30 day cycle. I’m grateful for Ibrance & anastrozole which kept my bone cancer quiet for almost 4 years until last June 2020 when it jumped to my right tibia of all places.

Now come the big guns, but I haven’t taken them. Not yet. My oncologist (very involved w/ clinical trials who I’ve only been seeing 7 months) verry strongly pushed Verzenio & only Verzenio for the last 6 months along w/ Fulvestrant (faslodex) injections monthly. Only recently did she finalllly give me 2 other options – Kisqali & Affinitor – which I’m researching now. (Some of her fervor for Verzenio may have to do w/ her being on its clinical trial & helping to bring it to market, I just learned.)

Verzenio is why Colleen I’m very interested in YOUR experience w/ it ugh. So sorry, but those night runs to the bathroom along w/ having to take showers after are what I’m hearing from others on it.

I’ve ONLY been taking Fulvestrant this whole time bc the Verzenio scares me to death w/ it’s diarrhea & manny other side effects, in addition to possibly permanent organ damage to the heart, lungs & liver. It sounds far worse to me than other options (which I admit I haven’t heavily researched yet like I have Verzenio).

The good news for me w/ Fulvestrant is in both pet scans January & recently June 4th, there’s been no progression on it. It’s been a cake walk so far w/ no side effects.

So I’m staying on the ride w/ just Fulvestrant a little longer. Has anybody had success, NED, w/ just Faslodex/ Fulvestrant I’d lovve to know??

Eventually however (& I think it will be sooner than later) I’m going to start 1 of the 3 – Verzenio, Kisqali or Affinitor. I just can’t decide which one. Recommendations please??

As for the hyperbaric oxygen treatments I had 13Plus, that was back in 2012 w/ my 1st go-round w/ breast cancer before it metastasized in my bone in 2016. I wasn’t on Ibrance then. My reconstruction surgeon at the time referred me to a private hyperbaric oxygen provider to build up, help heal & reinforce breast tissue that had been beaten up badly by so many surgeries following infections from expanders & implants. I sat in what looked like a huge well-lit submarine w/ 4-5 other people w/ wounds needing healing. There were comfortable recliners, windows to look out & even movies shown on a small theater screen on one end. The pure oxygen was pumped in thru the helmets & suits we wore for 3 hours, very much like the 1960s movie, 1,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I brought my art supplies in w/ me & worked on a drawing the 21 consecutive days I was in there. I know there are companies that have single hyperbaric oxygen “beds” for one person as well.

God bless & keep me posted please how you’re all doing! Stay strong!💪🏼👊🏼👍🏼✊🏼

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙂

kduck profile image
kduck in reply to cancerjustgotreal

I stayed Ned for 31/2 just on hormonal treatment. Just recently had liver involvement. Like you I don’t know what to do next. Ibrance lowered my wbc so my onc took me off, it didn’t fail me. I hope to do Kisqali or verzonio soon. I hope I can get a few years on something. This is an awful roller coaster and I think we should have better treatments. Her+ in my opinion have better options and their treatments could last 10-20 years

13plus profile image
13plus in reply to cancerjustgotreal

Hi, that’s interesting to hear. So did your hospital organize that? Or did you have to go to an alternative therapy place for the oxygen treatment? I’m also interested to learn what medication you now take after the iBrance. I’m about to switch off that to lynparza.

cancerjustgotreal profile image
cancerjustgotreal in reply to 13plus

13Plus, I responded to your question too in my response to US IrishColleen if you’ll read that.

13plus profile image
13plus in reply to cancerjustgotreal

Thank you! Wow, that must have been a surreal experience sitting inside the “submarine”. It is fascinating to hear how it can help healing. I’m also glad to hear the Faslodex alone has worked so well for you since coming off the iBrance combo! I’m not in that position because I’ve already run through anastrozole, tamoxifen, and Letrozole before taking the Faslodex with the iBrance. It really makes you wonder whether the iBrance did anything, or if it is mostly whatever hormone drug we take with it! Sorry I have no knowledge of the 3 you have been asked to consider next. Wishing you well with your choice but maybe you will end up with much more time with what you have now!

cancerjustgotreal profile image
cancerjustgotreal in reply to 13plus

Thank you 13Plus for your kind words. It izz an interesting idea whether cancer can be contained by a hormone drug alone (Fulvestrant in my case & it was actually 9 months I took that alone, afraid to start Verzenio. W/ no progression per recent pet scan results just a few weeks ago.) However, it makes sense to add either Verzenio, Affinitor or Kisqali to the Fulvestrant. Wouldn’t I in theory get twice as much of a progression deterrent vs the hormone-blocker Fulvestrant alone?What kind of drug is Lynparzza & how long were you on it? I’m sorry you’ve had to change meds so many times. Starting over on something new, hoping your response will be tolerable but not knowing & waiting to find out what the side effects will be… Nott fun is it. Wishing you the very best 13Plus, you deserve a break today!

Carry on!😊

I do it ~ I am in the UK and thanks to Chris Woollams all the MS Centres treat cancer patients at a reduced rate. So I am Midlands based in the UK so I go to the Mercia MS Therapy Centre in Coventry.

I’ve been doing it for a couple of months now and really find it helps with the symptoms ~ I also follow Chris Woollams and do all the things he suggests in his article 10 ways to improve your chemotherapy success and reduce side-effects

I found it has really helped me and the side effects from the palbociblib/ibrance. I too am on 100mg

Flavia100 profile image
Flavia100 in reply to

Thank you for your reply. I’m wondering which symptoms it helped you with the most?

13plus profile image
13plus in reply to

I used to read his stuff years ago but couldn’t quite decide if he was another of the quackery industry. So that’s great to hear some of his theories have been brought more into the mainstream. I’ll have to look him up again!

Winner123 profile image
Winner123 in reply to

We use that MS therapy centre as we are Warwickshire. We are using it to help fight the cancer as I read it was a good tool, we are trying to do it without chemo although we have just seen bad progression so may have to switch tactics.

in reply to Winner123

Sorry to hear about your progression

I was recently advised to ensure that I was in therapeutic ketosis before having HBOT. So I eat tea about 5:30/6pm the night before and then don’t eat anything until after my morning HBOT session as I understood that helps. I have scan today so in the next week or so will find out what it says

I highly recommend Jane McLelland ~ how to starve cancer metabolic approach. I’m doing that and found a support group of other like minded cancer thrivers and the stories of success ~ stability for years past their ‘expiration date’ quoted by the Oncology team is really inspiring.

I’m just near Warwickshire ~ we love just outside Stratford upon Avon if I can share anything that would be useful with you please let me know

Winner123 profile image
Winner123 in reply to

Yes, I've read Jane's book and lots of others on the metabolic approach. We are doing everything we know to but it's still growing ATM. It's very difficult to know what to do next. We are trying to avoid chemo as we feel the treatment is worse than the disease but not sure yet. It's my wifes decision ultimately, I'll support whatever happens but it's horrible, just horrible. She's 38, we have two kids aged 3 and 6. We are trying to be happy and normal for them but it's difficult today. I know this may never "be over" and we will always be fighting together. I'm rambling now. Thanks for the message. X

PJBinMI profile image
PJBinMI

If you are easily out of breath as one side effect of the Ibrance, or have other lung-breathing side effects, talk with your onc immediately! Call today! Ibrance can cause permanent lung damage. It's supposedly rare, but I was only on it for a few cycles (in 2016) and now have Interstitial Lung Disease from it, and have to use two inhalers and get out of breath easily and really have trouble in humid weather. I also had a friend die from sudden onset lung issues from Afinitor. This has made me a tad wary of these meds but I do know that they are quite helpful to some.....we just need to know to report breathing problems right away.......

Flavia100 profile image
Flavia100 in reply to PJBinMI

Same thing happened to me when I was on Verzenio. I was on steroids for three months. It was not nice

PJBinMI profile image
PJBinMI in reply to Flavia100

Did the steroids cure the lung issues? I sooo hate what it's done to me!

Flavia100 profile image
Flavia100 in reply to PJBinMI

Yes after several months of steroids and a 20 lb weight gain 😬

13plus profile image
13plus in reply to PJBinMI

I’m so sorry you got interstitial lung disease from the therapy. Years ago I met a woman who had the same thing happen from her treatment (not bc cancer). And it was really a challenge for her so I understand how much be it can effect you. And I agree there should be a better balance of them telling us about some of the more serious potential warning signs

PJBinMI profile image
PJBinMI in reply to 13plus

Thank you!

queeneee profile image
queeneee

I contacted a local MS clinic which offers hyperbaric treatment in the UK.. They said that their chamber takes 6 people, so it is closed at this time due to covid restrictions.

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